SAMPLE COMMITTEE CHARTER:
STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
Introductory Comment
About half of hospital and health system boards have a Strategic Planning Committee,
according to The Governance Institute. By comparison, nearly 90% have a Finance
Committee.
An increasing number of boards are moving away from having a standing committee on
strategic planning. They reason that the entire board should understand and have a role
in major decisions about the organization’s strategic direction, programs and services.
In the past, this was often not feasible if a board was large or its meetings were
consumed with routine matters. However, as boards downsize to a manageable number
of members and handle routine business in a consent agenda, they often find they can
address substantive strategic issues at full board meetings. Under this model, shortterm task forces are formed to address strategic issues that require more focused study
prior to bringing a matter to the full board.
However, there may be sound reasons to have a Strategic Planning Committee. The
board may be too large for thorough strategic discussions. The committee may provide a
useful forum for board members, executives and physician leaders to share views on
strategic issues.
Each board should determine whether it needs a Strategic Planning Committee, or
whether these functions would be better performed by the full board.
Overall Roles and Responsibilities
The Strategic Planning Committee assists the board with its responsibilities for the
organization’s mission, vision and strategic direction.
Specific Responsibilities
The specific responsibilities of the Strategic Planning Committee include:
•
Making recommendations to the full board related to the organization's
mission, vision, strategic initiatives, major programs and services.
•
Helping management identify critical strategic issues facing the organization.
Assisting in analysis of alternative strategic options.
•
Ensuring management has established an effective strategic planning
process, including development of a three to five year strategic plan with
measurable goals and time targets.
•
Understanding the organization’s industry, market/community, and core
competencies. Keeping up-to-date on industry and local market trends,
community health care needs, advances in technology and other
Sample Strategic Planning Committee Charter, Page 2
opportunities to improve the scope, cost effectiveness and quality of services
provided by the organization.
•
Periodically reviewing the mission, vision and strategic plan, and
recommending changes to the board
•
Annually reviewing the strategic plan and recommending updates as needed
based on changes in the market, community needs, and other factors
•
Reviewing and forwarding to the board strategic plans of subsidiary
organizations to assure they are aligned with the system’s strategic direction
and goals
•
Reviewing major new programs and services.
•
Developing criteria for management to use in evaluating potential strategic
investments.
•
Assisting in development of a strategic dashboard of key indicators.
•
Monitoring the organization’s performance against measurable targets (e.g.,
market share, increase in volumes) or progress points (e.g., open the
ambulatory surgery center by June; break ground for new sports medicine
clinic by October)
Members
The committee charter should include a list of the members assigned to this committee
as well as the staff who support the committee.
Meetings
The Strategic Planning Committee meets four times a year, or when necessary at the
call of the committee chair. Meeting dates and times should be specified a year in
advance.
Reports
The committee will review and receive the following reports:
• Progress on strategic plan implementation.
• Healthcare trends summary/Annual environmental assessment.
• Community health needs assessment.
• Competitor/partner assessment.
• Operational and financial assessment.
• Surveys of community/consumer perceptions.
Sample Strategic Planning Committee Charter, Page 3
Annual Committee Goals
The Strategic Planning Committee will establish annual goals specifying several areas
on which it will focus its education, policy making, goal setting and/or oversight activities
for the coming year. Typical examples might include:
•
Studying the increase in consumer-directed health plans and determining
strategic implications for the organization.
•
Studying technological advances in cancer treatment and the implications for
the organization
•
Examining the growth of physician-owned specialty hospitals and the
implications for the organization
•
Reviewing ways to generate sufficient capital to afford program growth,
additional facilities, updated information technology, and quality improvement
initiatives proposed in the strategic plan.
•
Reviewing current services and considering service delivery reconfiguration
for financial and quality reasons.
•
Assessing the degree to which subsidiary organizations understand and
embrace the overall vision and strategic initiatives.
© 2008 Bader & Associates
This document may be used by individual organizations to develop their
governance policies and charters, but it may not otherwise be published or
reproduced for distribution without the permission of Bader & Associates,
12225 Seline Way, Potomac, Maryland 20854
(301)340-0903 ™ www/GreatBoards.org